Forced displacement reaches 120 million globally by May 2024: UNHCR

China

Forced displacement reaches 120 million globally by May 2024: UNHCR

2024-06-13 17:06 Last Updated At：20:07

The global forced displacement has surged to 120 million by May 2024, hitting a record high, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said in a report released Thursday in Geneva.

According to the latest report on forced displacement, the rise in overall forced displacement was the 12th consecutive annual increase and reflects both new and mutating conflicts and a failure to resolve long-standing crises.

A key factor driving the figures higher has been the devastating conflict in Sudan, with 10.8 million Sudanese still displaced at the end of 2023.

According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), by the end of 2023, as many as 1.7 million people in the Gaza Strip (75 percent of the local population) were displaced due to the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the majority being Palestinians.

Syria continues to experience the world's largest displacement crisis, with a staggering 13.8 million people forcibly displaced in and outside the country.

Behind these stark and rising numbers lie countless human tragedies. That suffering must galvanize the international community to act urgently to tackle the root causes of forced displacement, according to Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

The report also showed that in 2023, there were over five million internally displaced people and over one million refugees who returned to their homes worldwide.

China intercepts submarine detectors dropped by US aircraft in South China Sea

2024-06-26 23:45 Last Updated At：06-27 00:17

China intercepted submarine detectors dropped by a U.S. aircraft in waters adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea, a habitat known for its dolphin population.

A U.S. military aircraft was recently observed circling over the South China Sea and deploying unidentified objects into the ocean.

Following the incident, the China Coast Guard swiftly dispatched vessels to recover the items which were identified as Ultra Electronics devices, and conducted inspections in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Ocean expert Yang Xiao explained that Ultra Electronics, a defense and security company specializing in advanced electronic systems and equipment, provides submarine detection services to the U.S. Navy. The device can be used to detect the signal of a Chinese submarine and to counter signals from submarines underwater, according to the expert.

The incident occurred in waters near Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea, which is known for its pristine environment and playful dolphin populations.

Sonar emissions from these detectors could potentially disrupt the echolocation systems of dolphins and other marine organisms, disorienting them and even stranding them.